Bone Grafting

Major & Minor Bone Grafting

Over a period of time, the jawbone associated with missing teeth atrophies or is reabsorbed. This often leaves a condition in which there is poor quantity and/or quality of bone suitable for placement of dental implants. In these situations, most patients are not candidates for placement of dental implants.

Today, we have the ability to grow bone where needed. This not only gives us the opportunity to place implants of proper length and width, it also gives us a chance to restore functionality and aesthetic appearance.

Major Bone Grafting

Bone grafting can repair implant sites with inadequate bone structure due to previous extractions, gum disease or injuries. The bone is either obtained from a tissue bank or your own bone is taken from the jaw, hip, or tibia (below the knee). Sinus bone grafts are also performed to replace bone in the posterior (rear) area of the upper jaw. In addition, special membranes may be utilized to protect the bone graft and encourage bone regeneration. This is called guided bone regeneration or guided tissue regeneration.

Major bone grafts are typically performed to repair large defects of the jaws. These defects may arise as a result of traumatic injuries, tumor surgery, or congenital defects. Large defects are repaired using the patient’s own bone. This bone is harvested from a number of different sites depending on the size of the defect. The skull (cranium), hip (iliac crest), and lateral knee (tibia), are common donor sites. These procedures are routinely performed in an operating room and sometimes require a hospital stay.

MERCER COUNTY ORAL SURGEON Dr. Fred J. Vecchione is a Board-Certified Oral Surgeon located in Hamilton, NJ. As a dentist who specializes in surgery of teeth, mouth, and jaws – he performs the following procedures routinely: removal of impacted wisdom teeth, all dental extractions, dental implants to replace missing teeth – with bone grafting when necessary, apicoectomy, oral cancer screenings, biopsies, removal of cysts and tumors, management of dental infections, and impacted tooth exposure. Procedures may be performed using general anesthesia, intravenous sedation, or inhalation sedation (nitrous oxide).

Dr. Vecchione’s office is located in the center of Mercer County, and since 1988 he has been serving patients from the following communities: Bordentown, Cranbury, East Windsor, Ewing, Hamilton, Hightstown, Hopewell, Lambertville, Lawrenceville, Monroe, Montgomery, Pennington, Plainsboro, Princeton, Princeton Junction, Robbinsville, Skillman, South Brunswick, Trenton, West Windsor, and Yardley.Dr. Vecchione participates with all Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield Medical Plans and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Traditional Dental Plan.